Jussie Smollett, 1st Gay Black Spokesperson for Pepsi

by The Next FamilyDecember 07, 2015

By Alex Temblador

You may recognize Jussie Smollett from Empire, a popular TV drama about a musically-inclined family that struggles against others and each other to dominate the world of music. Smollett plays Jamal, a singer who happens to be gay and struggles to be accepted by his homophobic father, while blowing up the music world with his songs.

Last week on Wednesday though, Jussie Smollett made history when a new Pepsi commercial aired. According to the Advocate, it marked the first time in history that an out black man became the spokesperson for the soda brand.

The song, “Ready to Go,” featured in the commercial was a plot point in this season of Empire. Smollett’s character, Jamal, had his parents, Cookie and Lucious, help him produce it and nail the spot as a Pepsi spokesperson. In real life, it was produced by Swizz Beatz, but true to Empire’s nature, it appeared in last week’s episode.

Congratulations to Smollett for making history and Pepsi for choosing a wonderful, diverse spokesperson for their brand. Check out the commercial below.

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